How to Catch a Cloud
by katanakittn
Summary: How Tsuna manages to capture Hibari Kyouya's affection. 18fem!27 related one shots.
1. A Watchful Gaze

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn!

How to Catch a Cloud

- A Watchful Gaze -

Sawada Tsunayoshiko was not a very popular girl in school; in fact she was so unpopular that her nickname all throughout middle school was _Dame_ Tsuna. She was clumsy even when not participating in athletic events, always late to class despite setting her alarm and she was not very bright, she was lucky if she scored in the 30's on a test.

But even before he became her Cloud Guardian, she'd had a fascination with Hibari Kyouya. The Disciplinary Committee's leader was such a puzzle to her.

He would threaten to 'bite to death' everyone who broke the school rules but he was also extremely protective of the female students and even the animals on campus. Tsuna had seen him throw his jacket at a shivering female student in the cold and he had even nursed back to health the bird that the students mockingly called 'Hibird.'

Everyone on campus was scared of him, even the teachers, but when one of the students was being bullied, Hibari was the first one there to 'restore the peace.' He had his own way of doing it to be sure, and it was often violent make no mistake about that, but every move he made, he made with Namimori-_chuu_ in mind.

According to the staff, after Hibari had become the Disciplinary Committee Leader, Namimori-_chuu_'s rankings had risen so high that the school had to implement an entrance exam in order to handle the flood of incoming students. Students may have resented Hibari's restoring peace presence but the teachers and parents secretly reveled in his existence, which is probably why he had such a strong position of influence in the school. Rumor was that the school's head had allowed him to stay an extra two years, in fact even begged him to do so.

So despite what her fellow classmates thought, Tsuna had decided that he must not be a bad person. She would often make herself late to school on purpose so he would have to talk to her, even if it was merely "You're late to class herbivore. You'll be bitten to death in detention later." Hibari made it a rule to never strike a female but he had no qualms about threatening one.

So for a year she had merely watched him in fascination, never even dreaming that she would get to know him or even be able to work with him. But after Hibari had been made her cloud guardian Tsuna began to notice him staring at her.

He would wait by the school gate every morning to punish those late to school and when she passed by he would always switch his focus from whoever he was talking with to her. When they passed by each other in the hall he would smirk at her while greeting her with his customary "Herbivore" and continue walking.

Their relationship continued this way until they reached high school and he moved from being merely her cloud guardian to what she considered a friend, though she was sure he would scoff at such a label.

When Gokudera and Yamamoto weren't around her, which happened more often because Yamamoto had decided to devote more time to baseball and Gokudera was always getting in detention for being Gokudera, boys from her school would pester her with their crude sexual advances.

At the beginning, this was new to Tsuna as no one in middle school had thought she was attractive in any way. But after Gokudera admitted that her legs had gotten leaner, in Yamamoto's words "sexier", her features more defined and her chest more apparent, she realized she had changed from _Dame _Tsuna.

Now that she was half way through her first year though, Tsuna would just sigh and try to push past those idiotic males. She could always go Dying Will on them but she felt that was overkill for something not mafia related.

So despite Reborn's warning to 'Never let her guard down' she ignored the threat that these boys represented until they cornered her one day after school. Before she was aware of what happened she found herself being manhandled by three school delinquents tired of waiting for her to come to them.

She never wore her Vongola ring on her finger at school because she didn't want the kind of questions to arise that would cause trouble. Plus, she figured keeping it around her neck left it within easy enough reach.

But these delinquents held her arms behind her back and pushed her face first into the ground. She couldn't reach her ring and all she could think was that when Reborn found out about this he would train her ruthlessly for weeks for leaving herself an easy target.

As she tried pushing back against their hands to give herself room to scream, one of the boys was suddenly slammed into the wall quickly followed by his friends.

It was Hibari! He pulled her to her feet and demanded "Where are your lackeys Herbivore? Why aren't they with you?" Tsuna looked at him with tears in her eyes and collapsed against him crying into his neck.

She didn't care about the state she was in, all she knew was that she had almost been molested and she hadn't been able to do anything to stop it. She could handle Mafioso's attacking her and even killing people for the sake of her family but Reborn had never trained her for this sort of situation. None of his life-threatening situations had included an 'about to be raped' scenario, although if she told him that he would probably think it a good addition to her training regimen.

In her hysterics she didn't realize, until Hibari plopped her in his lap, that he had carried her to the school rooftop. After settling her in his lap and leaning against a wall he didn't touch her or talk to her. He just left her to herself and she found she was grateful for that. She realized that this was as close to affection, at the moment, as Hibari would get.

Tsuna dried her tears and left his lap with a quick peck to his cheek and a hushed "Thanks Kyouya-_kun_."

As she reached the door to the stairwell he said firmly "If I find you without your guardians again Sawada Tsunayoshiko, I'll bite you to death." Tsuna just nodded without turning around and so missed the lingering blush on Kyouya's face.


	2. Be the Exception

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn!

How to Catch a Cloud

- Be the Exception -

The next year of high school Tsuna decided to show Kyouya how much he meant to her, guardian role aside. She finally got the nerve around Valentine's Day and stayed up all night the night before to make him _honmei choco_. She had begged Kyouko to help her and after six tries she had finally made something passable.

She had gotten to school early and searched for Hibari in his Disciplinary Committee's room. She blushingly pushed the chocolate into his hands. She turned to run away, her nerve gone, when he grabbed her wrist and asked "What is this Sawada Tsunayoshiko?"

She stammered "_H-Honmei choco_ for Valentine's Day..." but trailed off when he unwrapped the chocolate and stared dumbfounded at the chocolate heart.

He looked up at her his face unreadable "I don't eat chocolate Sawada Tsunayoshiko."

Tsuna gaped at him completely embarrassed, why hadn't she thought Hibari didn't eat chocolate, now she must look like a fool. She rubbed the back of her head embarrassed "Well, sorry about that Hibari-_san_. You don't have to eat it then; I'll just go give it to Gokudera or something."

Kyouya narrowed his eyes at that and tersely said "It's considered rude to take a person's gift back Sawada Tsunayoshiko." Tsuna looked at him now confused "But you just said you don't eat chocolate Hibari-_san_."

He merely said "I'll make an exception. Now leave before you're late to class and I have to bite you to death."

While Tsuna was left confused over his change of heart, he hadn't rejected her affection, if he even knew what the chocolate symbolized that is, and so she considered that morning a success.

It wasn't until White Day the next month that she realized he not only accepted but returned her affections too, to the best of his ability.

She had spent all day avoiding ardent admirers trying to load her with gifts. She had run towards the Disciplinary Committee's room in hopes that the boys would stop in fear of Hibari. She slammed into Kusakabe and Hibari who were leaving the room.

Kusakabe helped her to her feet chuckling all the while "Running from admirers, Sawada-_san_?"

She huffed "Yeah, they just don't seem to get it."

Hibari had his arms folded across his chest "Why are boys chasing you _today_ Sawada Tsunayoshiko?"

Kusakabe chuckled "Sometimes you amaze me Kyou-_san_. Don't you know today's White Day?"

Kyouya scoffed "I don't keep track of such herbivorous rituals."

Kusakabe continued, rolling his eyes, "White Day is the day when boys give gifts of affection to the girls who gave them gifts on Valentine's Day."

Tsuna withstood this explanation, ardently avoiding Hibari's eyes, hoping he didn't think that she was expecting something from him on White Day. Really, to her, that fact that he hadn't bitten her to death for daring to give him chocolate said that he tolerated her, and that was enough for now.

Kyouya stared at her as though trying to read her thoughts so Tsuna excused herself claiming that she had somewhere to be.

It wasn't until the lunch break when she snuck off to the roof to get some quiet time that Hibari managed to catch her alone. He seemed angry and so Tsuna waited for him to approach her. "I don't participate in herbivore rituals Sawada Tsunayoshiko."

She didn't want to scare him away with her affection so she simply replied "I didn't expect that you would Hibari-_san_."

Kyouya didn't say anything after that so Tsuna sat down and patted the ground next to her and offered "Would you like to share my _bento_ Hibari-_san_?" They ate together in a comfortable silence and at the end Tsuna fed some of their crumbs to Hibird and carefully wrapped up all their trash.

Lying down Hibari noted her considerate actions from the corner of his eye but continued to stare into the sky. He stood up when she had finished throwing everything away, and after letting Hibird climb onto his shoulder, walked over to her.

She turned to look at him questioningly as he said "I don't give presents to anyone Sawada Tsunayoshiko. But I'll make this an exception" and he leaned down and his lips grazed her forehead.

After seeing Tsuna's cheeks blush heavily Kyouya smirked and turned around to go down the stairs, his Disciplinary Committee jacket fluttering around his shoulders.

Tsuna was frozen in shock, and was only able to come out of her daze when she realized Kyouya was gone.

She put her hands to her face '_I must be blushing madly my face feels so red_.' But now she had hope; Kyouya did have some sort of feelings for her, which was more than any girl in her right mind would dare to ask for.

Tsuna went through the rest of her day with a stupid grin on her face unaware of the piercing pairs of bluish grey and chocolate eyes watching her every move.

Reborn had watched the whole scene with Kyouya and Tsuna and smirked to himself in satisfaction. He couldn't be more pleased. As far as Tsuna's guardians went, Hibari was the most likely to try to leave the _famiglia_, unless of course he _wanted_ to stay.

Reborn was constantly amazed by the ways Tsuna manipulated her family with her heart and pure intentions. It was both unbelievable and dumbfounding how she never realized what power she held over the men in her life. They would jump at the opportunity to put their lives in danger if she but asked them to, which being Tsuna she would never do, but that was his _dame _Tsuna.


	3. Let it Rain

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn!

How to Catch a Cloud

- Let it Rain -

In her third and final year of high school, Tsuna received an invitation from _Nono_ to begin her trial phase as _Jyuudaime_ at the end of her school career. Having fought so hard against becoming a mafia leader, Tsuna felt torn. She didn't want to be responsible for the lives of hundreds of _mafioso_.

When Reborn handed her the letter from _Nono_, the satisfied look in his eyes told her all she needed to know about what the letter said. "Reborn, I'm not ready. Tell _Nono_ I'm not ready."

Reborn scoffed "If you had things your way _Dame_ Tsuna, you would never be ready. You're ready when I say you are."

Tsuna began to refute his statement but the sound of him cocking his gun had her closing her mouth with a snap. Tsuna didn't get a word in after that but she couldn't accept his decision.

The next day at school, Tsuna was so preoccupied with her dilemma that she didn't hear the bell at the end of lunch ring. She was sitting with her back to the fence on the school rooftop, gazing at nothing when Hibari found her.

"Lunch is over Herbivore, get back to class before I bite you to death" he scolded.

Tsuna looked up at him but made no movement to get up. She just stared at him looking for something.

"How do you do it Hibari-san? Hold yourself responsible for the welfare of your men? Let them put their lives in your hands?"

Hibari, seeing that Tsuna was in no mood to be cowed by violence, put away his _tonfa_ and crossed his arms.

"That is the way of nature Sawada Tsunayoshiko, the weaker seek the strong for protection and the strong rule the weak."

Tsuna smiled ruefully to herself. To Hibari, life fell into such simple terms. But she couldn't reconcile herself to his survival of the fittest view.

"But I'm not strong Hibari-_san_, I can't offer protection."

Hibari scoffed in disbelief "If you were not strong, you would not be where you are now. Nature does not let the weak survive."

Tsuna looked at Hibari in contemplation, she had never thought of it that way before. Looking back on who she had been and who she was now she was certainly much stronger. But she still doubted her own strength, her battle with Byakuran had taught her that there was always someone stronger out there. She might not be so lucky next time.

Kyouya saw her morose look and ordered "Come, Sawada Tsunayoshiko, you will assist the Disciplinary Committee this afternoon to make up for missing class."

So Tsuna followed Hibari to the Disciplinary Committee's room. She filed paperwork, made tea and managed other menial tasks.

She spent most of the afternoon embroiled in her thoughts, struggling to come to terms with the thought of her as a leader.

Kyouya spent the afternoon in and out of the Disciplinary Committee's room keeping an eye on her while Tetsuya kept an eye on him. "Kyou-_san_, is something wrong with Sawada-_san_?" he inquired.

"Hn" Hibari responded "she doubts her ability to lead her herbivores."

"But you do not?" Tetsuya asked curiously.

"I have seen what she is capable of. She is no herbivore."

"So you wish to help her realize this Hibari?" Reborn popped out of nowhere.

"_Akanbou_" Hibari intoned with a small quirk to his eyebrows revealing his irritation at being snuck up on.

"You're the Cloud Guardian Hibari. You manage the Sky's link to the other guardians. There is no Rain, Storm or Lightning without a Cloud and the Sun can not see if the Cloud blocks the way."

"I do not associate with weaklings _Akanbou_" Hibari replied.

"Well then, here's your chance to make Tsunayoshiko an Omnivore, at the very least. You and I know both know without the right push she will never reach her full potential. You're the only guardian that can offer that push."

Hibari didn't respond and instead walked away but Reborn knew he had gotten the message.

Hibari came upon Tsunayoshiko into the Committee room staring out the window with a stack of papers in her arms. He walked up to her and ordered "Fight with me Sawada Tsunayoshiko."

Tsuna turned startle eyes at him. "Fight you Hibari-_san_, why, we both know I'm no match for you?"

"All that matters is your willingness to fight. Prove to yourself that you are more than an Herbivore."

OO

OOO

OO

Tsuna and Hibari were standing in a training room underneath _Namimori-koukou_. Tsuna was afraid to ask why it was there, so she didn't.

Her gloves were on and her Dying Will flames were active but her heart wasn't in it and Kyouya could tell.

"Come at me with the intent to hurt Sawada Tsunayoshiko. Do you think your enemies will take you seriously like this? Do you intend to protect your people with this pathetic will?"

"I can't protect them, it shouldn't be me."

"If you do not protect them, who will? Who do you think would take your place?"

Tsuna's heart nearly stopped in its tracks. She breathed out "Xanxus."

He would be eager to step up and take her place, he merely needed the opportunity. She had forgotten that.

Hibari's words suddenly ran through her mind. '_Nature does not let the weak survive_.' She instantly thought of Lambo, I-pin and Fuuta, children who were considered weak in the mafia world. Lambo came from a weak mafia family and he could barely defend himself from Reborn's teasing antics. I-pin had some martial arts skill but she was just a child, still vulnerable in so many ways. Fuuta had often been captured and used for his ranking abilities before he had come to her.

What would happen to them under the rule of Xanxus? They would be crushed until they either broke or became hardened _mafioso_ in order to survive. Tsuna could not bear to think of them like that. She didn't want that for them, for any of her people. She would fight to protect them with everything she was. She would fight to protect all her family. She would take strength from them and they from her.

Tsuna changed her stance, changing the grip on her weapon. Kyouya noticed the change and grew excited. It seemed that she was finally ready to fight seriously. This was exactly what he had wanted from her and it was exactly what she needed.

An hour later, sweaty and exhausted, Tsuna felt better than she had in weeks. She had by no means beaten Kyouya, but she had put up a good fight. This battle had only emphasized that her being in the mafia had nothing to do with strength and everything to do with protecting her loved ones. Her family was her strength and she was theirs.

She found Reborn leaning against the school gate. Reborn smirked at her, pulling his fedora down. "_Nono_ is still waiting for your reply."

"I'm ready now Reborn, let's go talk to _Nono_" Tsuna replied.

* * *

A/N: You wouldn't believe how much trouble this chapter gave me. I've been trying to expand on Kyouya in a way that would nudge him in fem-Tsuna's direction, but man he sure is resistant. Please let me know if you feel that anyone is out-of-character or if there is anything you want me to touch upon between Kyouya and Tsuna.


	4. Bring Out the Big Guns

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn!

How to Catch a Cloud

- Bring Out the Big Guns -

Tsuna looked up from her desk at the knock on her door. "Come in" she said hoping it wasn't a Mafia Council representative with more paperwork. It would be just the icing on her rotten cake today to have someone come barging in with a teetering stack of more paperwork.

The door opened but it was just Gokudera. Tsuna sighed in both relief and exasperation "Hayato I've told you before, you don't need to knock to come in." Tsuna remembered the times back in high school when Gokudera would have gotten flustered at being scolded by her, but now he was sure of himself and his position in her life.

"Tsuna-_hime_, I knock because I respect your authority as _Jyuudaime_ and I refuse to simply barge into your office" he replied.

"You're my right hand man; I know you wouldn't bother me unless it was important. Besides, there ought to be some privileges to all the work I make you do" Tsuna queried.

"You don't make me do anything _Jyuudaime-hime_, whatever I do for this family I do of my own free will" he argued back refusing to let her think that she was forcing him to be her minion.

Tsuna's smile was more grimace like than Gokudera would have preferred when she spoke. "You're right. I'm sorry to badger you like this Hayato, I didn't mean to quarrel. I've just been so frustrated lately with Reborn away and with all the work going on back at _Namimori_."

'You mean with all the work Hibari's doing back in _Namimori_' Hayato added silently. Tsuna's guardians, specifically Gokudera, didn't truly approve of her relationship, if you could call it that, with Hibari. Tsuna needed a man who would be there for her, whom she could both be strong around and lean on for support.

And in Gokudera's opinion, Hibari was not the kind of man who could or would be that presence to Tsuna, hell he was only here once every two months. Tsuna saw Xanxus more often than Hibari, not that he was an acceptable alternative.

But while Gokudera refused to accept Hibari, he couldn't help but recognize that Tsuna, for some reason, craved Hibari's presence and every so often would get melancholy over his absence. Reborn would be able to smack that funk right out of her but Gokudera was pants when it came to girls and affection. He still didn't even understand Bianchi after all these years and she was his sister.

Maybe he would go talk to the girls about this. They would know what to do.

OO

OOO

OO

"_Hahi_, Gokudera-_san_ what are you doing here _desu_?" Haru questioned after noting Gokudera's presence in the kitchen.

"Is Kyouko-_chan_ around Haru, I need to talk to her about Tsuna?" Gokudera questioned. Haru still got on his nerves with her weird speech patterns and childish manner but he would admit, reluctantly, that she had her uses.

Kyouko came around the corner into the kitchen. "I'm here Gokudera-_san_. What do you need to talk about?"

Gokudera mumbled something.

"Could you repeat that Gokudera-_san_?"

"I said: Tsuna is depressed that Hibari hasn't been by lately and I don't know what to do" Gokudera admitted.

The girls 'hmmed' together but Gokudera wasn't sure what that meant. He wished they would use words he could understand.

"Tsuna has been looking rather sad lately-_desu_" Haru confided.

"She did have an odd craving for green tea and _onigiri_ last week and she hasn't been joining us for dinner at that café lately" Kyouko agreed.

"What should I do?" Gokudera repeated, wishing they would just get on with it instead of confirming what he already knew.

"_Hahi_ – you could get Hibari-_san_ to come here-_desu_! That would cheer her up!" Haru exclaimed.

"You haven't forgotten what Hibari is like have you, he doesn't just _come here_" Gokudera retorted. 'Honestly, I could have thought of that' he fumed.

"_Onii-chan_ mentioned Giannini plans to release his new weapons upgrade; would he come here for that?" Kyouko questioned.

Gokudera slouched with his fingers tapping his chin already running a mental simulation with Kyouko's idea. 'Yeah it just might work' he thought to himself.

"I think so Kyouko-_chan_, I think so. Thanks for your help!" Gokudera called behind him already running out of the kitchen.

OO

OOO

OO

Tsuna ran her hand through her hair again, frustrated with the persisting pain from her throbbing head. 'Maybe I shouldn't have stayed up all night writing those reports' she thought morosely. She looked out the window cradling her hand in her head hoping that the day would end already. Ever since her grandfather had started Tsuna's _Jyuudaime_ Trial Phase it had been non-stop work from sun up till sun down, with little if any sleep in between. If she wasn't writing reports, she was meeting other families or foreign dignitaries with ties to the _Vongola_ family, attending Mafia Council meetings or cleaning up after the catastrophes that were her family and the _Varia_.

It was so much that Tsuna felt like breaking down. It was so easy to lose sight of her focus when all this weight was piled on her. Usually Reborn could sense the onset of these moods of hers and sweat them out of her with his Spartan Training but he had been gone two weeks now on some hush-hush out of country assignment. And the one man she really wanted to see, well she hadn't seen or heard from him in months now.

A fluttering in her peripheral vision had her turning her head to meet Hibird flapping next to her head. "Visit to Tsunayoshiko! Visit to Tsunayoshiko!" he chirped. Tsuna giggled and turned her chair to grab him only to freeze gobsmacked at the sight of Hibari leaning against her doorway arms crossed over his chest. Tsuna tripped out of her chair in her haste to greet him "Hibari-_sa_ umph." Blushing, Tsuna straightened up and brushed off her clothes before walking over to him.

"It's nice to see you again Hibari-_san_. Although I wasn't informed that you were coming" she politely noted.

He scowled but she could glimpse a twinkle of humor in his eyes, no doubt at her expense, "I was informed that there is a new weapons upgrade and wanted to see it for myself."

Tsuna smiled in good humor "Of course, Hibari-_san_. Giannini has some new box releases and he claims they're his best work yet" while internally laughing about boys and their toys.

Meanwhile Hibari had been noting Tsuna's appearance. Her pant suit, while obviously a brand name style, looked rumpled, as if she had slept in it. Her normally unruly hair looked even wilder than normal and her eyes had bags under them.

He noticed the untouched food plate on her desk and his scowl deepened. Clearly her weaklings were also incompetent fools if they could not even tell when she was pushed beyond the brink of exhaustion. He would be having a word with them. She was not worthy prey when she was in such a state.

"Do you have somewhere to drink tea?" he interrupted her ramblings about Giannini.

"Y-yes" she replied, confused over his inquiry.

"Then we shall talk more about these latest upgrades there" he stated.

OO

OOO

OO

The tea had been a disappointing affair but it had served its purpose. Tsuna had gotten comfortable enough to fall asleep at the table listening to Hibari talk about the latest happenings in _Namimori_. Hibari crouched over her, picking her up and cradling her in his arms.

He opened the sliding door leading to his section of the manor and strode across to an empty guest room. He nudged the _tatami_ mat out of its folded position with his foot and then placed Tsuna on it before covering her with a blanket. He brushed the hair out of her face wondering how someone so tough could be so fragile.

Now, to find those weaklings.

OO

OOO

OO

Gokudera was leaning against the wall outside the Family Manor when Hibari strode up _tonfa_ already pulled out and an angry scowl on his face.

"Herbivore, do you not claim to be Sawada Tsunayoshiko's right-hand man?" Hibari bit out.

Gokudera flicked his cigarette on the ground and stepped on it. "Yeah, you got a problem with that?"

"Then explain her state you incompetent weakling."

"How dare you –" Gokudera began but Hibari cut him off with a _tonfa_ strike to the stomach.

"She hasn't slept in days, she hasn't touched her food, like that she couldn't even defend herself from that Cow Brat. You call yourself her right-hand man, then tell me – why was she like that?"

Gokudera was sure if his cigarette has still been in his mouth it would have fallen out in shock. He couldn't believe Hibari actually cared, let alone that he dared place the blame for Tsuna's wellbeing on him.

"Because she wouldn't listen to me! Because she missed you, you bastard! You think I didn't notice her wasting away, pining for a letter, a message, anything from you! I couldn't do anything, it's not me she wants, it's you!"

"It's your job to make her listen! No order supersedes her own wellbeing! If you can't even take care of her, what good are you as a right-hand man?"

There was some more scuffling. Hibari got in a few good hits before Gokudera pulled out his dynamite and lit it in a flash. But Hibari only scoffed and turned to walk away swearing "If I ever see her like that again, I'll bite you to death."

* * *

A/N: This chapter was a joy to write with all the mingling relationships and the further proof that Kyouya cares, in his own way. Again, feel free to let me know if you feel that anyone is out-of-character or if there is anything you want me to touch upon between Kyouya and Tsuna. Any inspiration would be greatly appreciated.


	5. Leave a Trail of Bread Crumbs

Disclaimer: I do not own Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn!

How to Catch a Cloud

– Leave a Trail of Bread Crumbs –

Tsuna was sitting behind her desk lamenting over all the paperwork she still had to get through, even after hours of working. Who knew that the Vongola leader would have to take care of so many pointless details? The Manilla _Familia_ wanted to buy enhanced weaponry, the Bambino _Familia_ wanted more training, the Varia mansion unsurprisingly needed repairs again, the Cavellone _Familia_ wanted to extend their political reach abroad. And all of this, for some reason, had to be run by her first.

A year ago she would have laughed at the absurdity of authorizing these requests, but that was before she understood the politics inherent in running a head mafia _familia_. Standing at the forefront of the mafia world, the Vongola _Familia_ had both an enviable and precarious position. A single slight against one of the families in her protection could spark a war. Her presence was meant to stand as a balancing and immovable force of authority so that such a thing could never happen.

Tsuna was interrupted from her paperwork musing at the sound of tapping on her window. Tsuna looked up and smiled at seeing Hibird outside her window. It was so adorably cute how loyal Hibird was to Hibari that she couldn't help at times but giggle at their bond. Hibird must have a message for her, but really, for Hibari to make him fly all this way from his base in Namimori was unreasonable.

She reached out to open the window and Hibird fluttered in to land on her open palm. "Message for Tsunayoshiko! Message for Tsunayoshiko!" he chirped happily. Tsuna unrolled the message attached to his clawed foot and let Hibird climb onto her desk where she collected some bird-feed and water for him. She patted his ruffled feathers as she read the message. It was a very Hibari message: short and direct.

'_On my way.'_

'Of course Kyouya would send a message like that. He never gives me enough time to prepare things for his arrival. He enjoys catching me off guard too much.' Tsuna couldn't help but get anxious over his arrival.

The last time she had seen Kyouya had been at her acceptance ceremony to officially take the Headship of the Vongola from her grandfather almost two months ago.

And that didn't particularly count in her mind since she was so busy accepting congratulations from political connections that they barely got to say two words to each other. But the brief look he threw her had told her everything. The look of pride and satisfaction in his eyes had made her cheeks heat up in embarrassment and euphoria. Then he lowered his head slightly in acknowledgment and had left, leaving Tetsuya to give her his present.

The present had been breathtakingly beautiful. It was a commissioned portrait of Namimori-_chuu_ during sakura season with free flying sakura petals highlighting the beauty of Namimori. She had understood his silent message. 'Don't forget your roots, and don't forget me.' There was no true way to translate Hibari-speak, but her intuition seemed to have developed a general understanding of his ways of communication.

And before she got lost in thought again, Tsuna had to go prepare things for his arrival and hope she had enough time to do so. She had to tell the cook to make only Japanese food for the next couple of days and have green tea on hand, and not the cheap stuff. She also had to inform the staff that Hibari's area of the mansion should be aired out and then strictly avoided after his arrival.

Speaking of that, she would have to let her other guardians know not to bombard him as soon as he walked through the door; he was always irritable after flying on a public flight. Well, that last order probably wouldn't be followed so well, but she could hope.

On her way out of her office Tsuna picked up Hibird and placed him in his favored position on top of her head. He ruffled his feathers and nestled further into her hair to get more comfortable. It was always a treat to take care of Hibird and it demonstrated just how must Kyouya trusted her since he was fiercely protective of Hibird, although he would never admit it.

OO

OOO

OO

Tetsuya pulled the car up to the Vongola mansion and let Hibari out while he went to go park. Hibari carried nothing more than his tonfa with him when he came to the Vongola Family Seat because he expected everything he would need to already be there. And there would be some serious biting if that wasn't the case. He decided to head straight for Tsunayoshiko's main office knowing Hibird would be with her.

He went through the main door only to be stopped by a manservant holding out a tray with tea to him. "Hibari-_sama_, I was ordered to offer you some refreshments. Ojou-_sama_ told me to inform you that 'It's the good stuff.'" Hibari accepted the tea without a word, slightly miffed that Tsuna had still had some time to prepare things for his arrival. 'I knew that delay at the airport would give her more time. I should have bitten that security herbivore harder.'

Since the first time Hibari had visited Tsuna at the Family Seat a year ago he had made a habit of not informing her of his arrival beforehand. The first time Tsunayoshiko had seem him unexpectedly walk through her office door, the look on her face had been pleasing enough to pull a smirk out of him. Hibari always made it a habit to be unpredictable, to let everyone know that he followed no one's whims or orders but his own.

However, Tsunayoshiko had put her foot down when he spent those first two days biting servants and guardians alike for his disgust at the lack of 'proper food and living arrangements.' She had requested that he give her 'some advanced notice' which he construed to mean half an hour before his arrival. Tsuna had considered it a challenge from then on to prepare as many Hibari-approved things as possible with the little time he gave her.

And so far either he was giving her too much advanced notice or she was upping the efficiency of her household because she always had proper green tea waiting for him and his rooms prepared just the way he preferred them.

In a way, it was her way of welcoming him home. Not to the Vongola Family Seat but to her. And despite how much he loathed being tied to one place he couldn't help but keep coming back.

He blamed Hibird, Tsuna had clearly brainwashed him into wanting to come back. It couldn't possibly be a coincidence that after one week of no contact between them Hibird would suddenly start chirping "Message for Tsunayoshiko! Message for Tsunayoshiko!" eager to go see her. Clearly, if that was the kind of loyalty he was inspiring these days, he was getting soft.

OO

OOO

OO

Hibari didn't like delays. They slowed down the efficiency of his day. And this cow-brat was the biggest of all delays. Lambo was less irritating now then he had been five years ago but it was still frustrating to see the weak herbivore he was. He often wondered why Tsunayoshiko had kept him around as a guardian; he had nothing to offer her.

But there were some things he would probably never understand about her he realized as he watched her soothe the crying Lambo in her office. That cow-brat turned in her arms to nuzzle her chest and stuck his tongue out at Hibari when he noticed Hibari watching from the doorway.

"Lambo, you know this school is the last option you have, you rejected all the other choices. And you need to go to school Lambo, I'll not have you uneducated. Besides I-pin is going too" Tsuna consoled him.

"But _nee-chan _I don't want to go to school. Why can't I be tutored here?" Lambo whined miserably.

"You know why Lambo and I'm done discussing this. You will go to school and that is my final word on the matter. Now off with you, you know I'm busy today" Tsuna finished.

Lambo trudged out the doorway with his head hanging down. Tsuna turned to Hibari "Come on in Kyouya-_kun_, sorry to keep you waiting like this. I know how you hate delays."

He entered the room and sat in the chair placed in front of her desk. "I heard what happened a few months back Tsunayoshiko, the brat was lucky to get out of that alive."

"Yes, it was pure luck that he managed to sleep through the whole thing" Tsuna mused shaking her head. Only Lambo would be able to sleep through an attempted kidnapping.

"And what of the culprits?" Kyouya intoned, pretending indifference. He could see Tsunayoshiko replaying the event in her mind, the anger and guilt that she felt for putting Lambo in such a dangerous position.

Her eyes glinted at him, that orange flame bursting to life "They were taken care of." It was moments like these that Kyouya had come to enjoy; seeing her transformation from omnivore into carnivore was always thrilling to watch. It showed how far she had come from those Namimori-_chuu_ days. He felt no small amount of pride watching her like this, knowing that he had pushed her, had helped her become the boss she was today. A boss willing to fight and willing to kill for her family.

Her flame seemed to light a reciprocal flame inside him, an urge to see her in battle again. His fighting spirit wanted to fan that flame, wanted to push her and test her physical limits. But that wasn't why he was here today, and he hated delays.

"You know I've been following the latest movements of the Higuchi family" he began.

She nodded "Yes, your latest communication said they were involved with illegal box weapon trading."

"That's true Tsunayoshiko. But I've since learned more. They're creating their own versions of the box weapons. Dangerous ones. I had Tetsu transmit our findings to Verde and his group to see what they could make of it."

"How dangerous are we talking Kyouya-_kun_?" she inquired.

"I saw one box take out a whole family, there were no survivors" he answered emotionlessly. Tsuna knew Kyouya was a fighter, but even he had lines he wouldn't cross. Children were one of them. To see him this shaken meant it had been bad, a massacre of unmentionable proportions.

It broke her heart at these moments, to know what she asked of him and would continue to do so. But she trusted Kyouya to remain strong; he was the strongest guardian she had and she knew that she could count on him not to break. And that was what she loved about him. He was the one she could always send out and have faith that he would return to her.

"Thank you for your update Kyouya-_kun_, I'll read the rest from Tetsu's transmission. Stay here until we get word back from Verde. I want us to know what we're up against before we act." After all, she didn't want him running headfirst into who knew what. She preferred to send out her guardians as well equipped as she could make them.

"I have urgent business back in Namimori" he retorted.

"I'm sure it's nothing you can't handle from here. What are all your legions of hardened delinquents for if you never use them Kyouya-_kun_?" Tsuna retorted with her innocent smile.

"Hnn" he intoned. They were not bad for subordinates but he trusted no one but himself to get the job done properly. But Tsuna knew him well enough to understand that.

"Then perhaps it's time you start trusting them Kyouya-_kun_."

"I don't need your protection Tsunayoshiko" he snorted.

She smiled at him "No, you don't, but I'll give it all the same."

Yes, there were definitely some things about Tsunayoshiko that he would never understand.

A/N: Goodness, this chapter was so difficult to finish, I've been rewriting it for months now. Hibari is a very subtle man so it's a constant challenge to detail the kind of affection he would show. He makes me think of Saitou Hajime from _Rurouni Kenshin_, a very stern Japanese man that people are shocked to find out has a wife. Let me know what you think, even if you don't agree. Any comments or inspiration would be greatly appreciated.


End file.
